Food cutter



March 28, I950 v. J. KLEJNA FOOD CUTTER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 18 1946 I nventor March 28, 1950 I 4 v. J.-KLEJNA 2,502,157 000 CUTTER I h 2 Sheets -Sheet 2 Filed June 18, 1946 7 Vincent /Ifflgjna WWW 3m Patented Mar. 28, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FOOD CUTTER Vincent J. am, Blanchester, Ohio Application June 18, 1946, Serial No. 677,495

3 Claims. (Cl. 30303) The present invention relates to new and useful improvements in cutters for vegetables, butter, cheese, meat and other food products and more particularly to a device of this character for dicing or cutting the food into strips of a desired width.

An important object of the present invention is to provide a cutter of this character embodying a square shaped frame in which blades may be mounted and retained in either a crossed or parallel relation.

A further object of the invention is to provide a locking frame for removably securing the blades in position in the supporting frame.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a device of this character, of simple and practical construction, which is strong and durable, efficient and reliable in use, relatively inexpensive to manufacture and otherwise well adapted for the purposes for which the same is intended.

Other objects and advantages reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure l is a top plan view.

Figure 2 is a side elevational view.

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view taken on a line 33 of Fi ure 1.

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the blade supporting frame.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary top plan view of one corner of the cutter with the lock frame removed, and

Figure 6 is a perspective view of a pair of the crossed cutters.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, wherein for the purpose of illustration I have disclosed a preferred embodiment of the invention the numeral 5 designates the blade supporting frame which is preferably of square shaped construction and of lightweight metal and with the lower edge of the frame bent inwardly to form inner and outer spaced apart walls 6 and l providing a channel 8 therebetween. The upper edge of the inner wall 6 terminates below the upper edge of the outer wall I and the inner wall, at each of the four sides of the frame is formed with spaced parallel vertical slots 9 extending through the upper edge of the inner wall 6.

A plurality of knife blades l0 and I I are formed at the upper portion of each end thereof with lateral flanges l2 projecting outwardly at op- 2 posite sides of the blade. The flanges I2 are preferably formed by bending a portion of the material at the upper or back edge of the blade upon itself at ,right angles to the blades in a manner as will be apparent from an inspection of Figure 6 of the drawings.

The flanges l2 are adapted to enter the channels 8 between the inner and outer walls of the frame 5 with the lower or cutting edges l3 of the blade projecting downwardly below the frame.

The blades [0 are arranged in spaced parallel relation to each other in the frame with their ends received in the slots 9 of a pair of the opposed inner walls 6 and the blades I l are likewise arranged in spaced apart parallel relation with respect to each other in crossed relation with respect to the blades [0 and with the ends of the blades ll likewise received in the slots 9 of the remaining pair of opposed inner walls 6. The lower portions of the blades l l are formed with spaced apart vertical slots M to receive the upper edges of the blades 10 so that the lower cutting edges of the blades Ill and H are arranged in a horizontal plane. For this purpose the flanges [2 of the blades l0 project upwardly above the blades so that the upper edges of the flanges of both the blades I0 and II will be positioned in the channels 8 flush with the upper edge of the inner walls 6 of the frame.

A locking frame I5 is adapted to rest on the upper edges of the flanges l2 of all of the blades. one side of the frame I 5 being formed with a pair of upwardly curved tongues l6 constitutin hooks for engagement in slots I! formed in the upper portion of the outer walls 1 while the opposite side of the frame I5 is formed with one or more outwardly pressed knobs or detents l8 adapted for snapping into recesses l9 formed in the adjacent outer wall I of the frame 5 whereby to releasably lock the frame IS in position at the inside of the outer wall 1 of the frame 5 for securing the flanges l2 of the blades l0 and H in position in the channels 8 and against upward movement in the frame 5 when pressure is exerted on the frame 5 to force the blades into the food to be cut.

Handle 20 may be welded or otherwise suitably secured to the outer surface of the frame 5.

It will be apparent that any desired number of the blades l0 and II may be mounted in the frame 5 to regulate the size of the food produced by the cutter and the blades H may be used together with the blades ill to dice the food or the blades ll may be removed and the blades 10 used for cutting the food in strips or slices.

per edges of said inner walls and opening into 20 frame bein detachably hinged to the first frame said space, cutter blades having ends fitting in r ta' beiswung out :ofitheisame. andzthen' detached 'said' slets and removable outofthe open upp'er -=therefrom.

ends "of'-*said "slots said ends'bf the blades having -VINCENT J .KLEJ N A. -cross 'fianges thereon= wider' than' said slots and *fitting -in' the space between saidinner andout'ers'25 "REFERENCES CITED Walls, and a Single lockingdevice' The following references are of record in the for-engagin "'a11= of" said flanges' to rprevent re- :file bffthi a tentz Pmoval'of said ends of 'the blades.

2. In acutterbf the 'class described,= a"frame "UNITED STATES PATENTS 'having'innerandouter walls'vvitha 'spacethere-csu' Number Name Dat "between; the inner -walls having'spaced; parallel, 123,540 Williams "Feb.' 6, 1872 'ver tical' slots therein extending through the HD- 1,445,787 "-Meyers Feb. 20, 1923 'w ep -edges e a -inner-wa11s and openingintc 1,595,574 Quevli Angl /1 2 'said space, cutter blades havingends fitting'in 13673657 Denin July 19,1932 *said slots and removable" out of the open upper lsfi ends or said slots; saidends or 'theblades having FOREIGN PATENTS crossfianges thereon wider 'than said slots and Number f Country Date fitting in the space between said inner androuter 3 779,242 France 'Jan '.10,1935

*walls, and a single locking device in said 'frame In view of the foregoing description taken in for engaging all of said flanges to prevent removal conjunction with the accompanying drawings it of said ends of the blades, comprising a second is believed that a clear understanding of the conframe fitting in the frame first named and reststruction, operation and advantages of the deing on said cross flanges. vice will be quite apparent to those skilled in this 5 3. In a cutter of the class described, a frame art. A more detailed description is accordingly having inner and outer walls with a space theredeemed unnecessary. between, the inner walls having spaced, parallel,

It is to be understood, however, that even vertical slots therein extending through the upthoughlthere. is. herein shown and described a A per edges of said inner walls and opening into preferred embodiment of thednventionlthetsame HM said space, cutter blades having ends fitting in is susceptible to certain changes'fully' compresaid slots and removable out of the open upper hended by the spirit of the invention as herein ends of said slots, said ends of the blades having described and the scope of the appended claims. cross flanges thereon Wider than said slots and Having thus described the invention, whati is z flttin'g in the space between said inner and outer claimed as new is: p walls, and a single locking device in said frame 1. In a cutter of the class described," a frame for engaging all of said flanges to prevent rehaving inner and outer wallsswithaspacettherenmoval" of :said: ends of the blades, comprising a between, the inner Walls having spaced, parallel, second frame fitting in the frame first named vertical slots therein extendin through 'the upand' resting on said cross flanges, said second 

